Halo Wars 2: How to Play Ranked Mode Games

Halo Wars 2: How to Play Ranked Mode Games

If you recently picked up Halo Wars 2 at or around launch, you might be wondering how to play ranked games. After all, many of the multiplayer mode descriptions mention that they are unranked… which would seem to imply that there is a ranked mode alternative. There is indeed going to be ranked play, but it’s not in the game yet. A community manager for Halo Wars 2, ske7ch343, took to Reddit to clear up the situation and provide some details as to when players can expect ranked competitive play:

“Halo Wars 2 will have skill-based matchmaking behind the scenes though new players will start with a provisional rating (just like Halo 5 when a new season starts) that might result in matching against an opponent that has a higher Spartan rank.

Competitive seasons / visible skill ranks aren’t included right at launch for a few reasons: we can give players a chance to explore the game and get familiarized in a more low-pressure, social/unranked setting. We also want to give the team a chance to respond to any balancing issues that might arise – things that usually only come up after players get more play time and experiment with different units/strategies/tactics. Exposing players to these types of “hot-fixable” tweaks is a lot more tolerable and acceptable in an un-ranked environment. Think of the launch window as more of a “pre-season” and as the dust settles the team will look to formally institute a skill-based ranking system. It also feels like a natural fit to tie seasonal roll-overs to DLC releases so we can sync content releases for leaders and playlists.” via Reddit.

So while it may be a little disappointing for those who wanted to start rising through the ranks right away, it seems like the delay exists at least for a good cause, and the developers should be adding it in soon.

So keep an eye out for Halo Wars 2 updates, and hopefully the wait isn’t too long.

Ed has been a proud member of the Twinfinite staff since 2014. He plays everything on everything but is particularly fond of JRPGs, MMOs, and sports. He holds a B.A. in history and political science and a M.S. in education all from the University at Albany.